Portable electronic apparatus having expansion connector covered by pivotally mounted upper and lower covers having laterally extending guide portions

• US 5,796,579 A
• Filed: 02/07/1997
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Seto, Masaru, Nakajima, Yuji, Kamikawa, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US08/798,300
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683-686, 361/724, 361/727, 361/728, 439/137, 439/138
• US Class Current: 361/679.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

A portable computer has a base unit with a first expansion connector mounted on a rear wall. The expansion connector is covered by a connector unit. The connector unit includes pivotally mounted upper and lower covers having laterally extending guide portions. The upper and lower covers have a closed position which covers the connector. An external expansion unit has a second expansion connector mounted on a connector mounting surface. A cover opening member projects from the connector mounting surface. When the expansion unit is connected to the portable computer the cover opening member pushes the upper and lower to covers to an open position which uncovers the first expansion connector.

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising:

a portable electronic apparatus having a connector panel mounting a first expansion connector;

a cover unit for covering the first expansion connector, and mounted to the portable electronic apparatus, the cover unit having an upper cover pivotably supported on the cover unit for movement between a closed position covering an upper half portion of the first expansion connector and an opened position exposing the upper half portion of the first expansion connector and a lower cover pivotably supported on the cover unit for movement between a closed position covering a lower half portion of the first expansion connector and an opened position exposing the lower half portion of the first expansion connector, the upper cover having a laterally extending first guide portion, and the lower cover having a laterally extending second guide portion cooperating with the first guide portion to form a guide opening therebetween;

an external expansion unit having a connector mounting surface and a second expansion connector mounted on the connector mounting surface, and the external expansion unit detachably electrically connected to the portable electronic apparatus through connection of the first and second expansion connectors; and

a cover opening member projecting from the connector mounting surface in laterally spaced relation to the second expansion connector, the cover opening member having an upper portion for pushing the first guide portion and a lower portion for pushing the second guide portion, the first and second covers being pivoted from their closed positions to their opened positions upon the first and second guide portions being pushed by engagement with the cover opening member during insertion through the guide opening to enable connection between the first and second expansion connectors.

2. An electronic system according to claim 1, further comprising means mounting the cover opening member to the connector mounting surface for sliding movement between extended and retracted portions , and a spring coupled to bias the cover opening member to the extended position.

3. An electronic system according to claim 2, wherein the cover opening member is positioned to engage the connector panel as the first expansion connector is electrically connected to the second expansion connector, thereby forcing the cover opening member to slide to the retracted position against the bias of the spring.